March 01, (THEWILL) – The 2024 Formula One (F1) season got underway with qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen secured pole position for Red Bull, beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.228 seconds. Mercedes driver George Russell qualified third, ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in fourth.
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix are being held in the evening this year to accommodate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan which starts March 10. Both races utilise floodlighting to enable night racing. This record 24-race F1 season promises excitement with the first two rounds held on Saturdays.
Despite taking pole, Verstappen seemed unsure if his lap was quick enough. However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner confirmed he was two-tenths faster than Leclerc and three-tenths quicker than Russell. The 2021 champion has shown early season form, building on his dominance in 2023 when he won 19 of the 22 races.
Verstappen acknowledged the windy conditions made finding the ideal lap difficult. Ultimately he was happy to claim the top spot, having started the Bahrain race from pole in 2023 as well. Completing the top 10 on the grid are Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg.
With the stage set under the lights, the 2024 F1 World Championship is primed for a thrilling start when the cars line up on Saturday evening in the island Kingdom.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
